By Onwa Ekor
Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Cross River Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA), Great Ogban, says the governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has approved the second phase implementation of the Retiree Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (REDI).
This phase, Ogban disclosed, will benefit an additional 500 civil servants, focusing specifically on those with less than two years of active service, adding that, the gesture is designed to spread across the three Senatorial Districts of the state.
The MEDA Boss disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit on the newly appointed Head of Service, Mr. Orok Okon, as part of the Agency’s efforts to strengthen synergy with civil servants.
Ogban also maintained that the initiative is geared towards adequately preparing civil servants post-retirement life by providing the necessary entrepreneurship education and skills to help mitigate post-retirement poverty.
He used the opportunity created by the visit to congratulate the Head of Service on his well-deserved appointment, describing him as an administrator with substantial institutional knowledge.
Ogban also applauded the new Head of Service support for the Civil Service Technology Empowerment for Capacity and High Performance (CIVTECH) program, positioned to equip civil servants with essential ICT skills to enhance their efficiency.
Responding, the Head of Service, Orok Okon, flanked by the Permanent Secretary, Glory Odu Orji, during the visit, commended MEDA for its dedication to enterprise development across the state, especially through the REDI program and the accompanying grant of Five Hundred Thousand Naira to each of the 500 beneficiaries.
He explained that his administration is adopting thematic areas of Professionalism, Digitization, and Cultural Change.
This strategy, Okon reasons, reflects a commitment to making the civil service more attractive and results-driven, while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism.
He further revealed that plans were at advanced stage by the federal government, through the Federal Civil Service, to transition to paperless documentation by 2026.
“This underscores the importance of embracing the CIVTECH program to give civil servants in the state a competitive advantage,” Okon stated.
